Powerful Turns
by Gollum4077
Summary: A mutant escapes Alkali Lake, marking a dark past she has no memory of, and a future even she can't foresee. It's only when Team X catch up to her that the mysteries resurface. As more secrets threaten to spill, the fate of mutant-kind hangs in the balance. And it's up to her to change it. Bolt/OC/Gambit
1. Taken

**Powerful Turns**

**1- Taken**

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><p><strong>Location: Epi Island, the New Hebrides<strong>

The waters of the Island were clear, blue as the sky above, and calm. The air was still, filled only with the humming of insects and the lapping of waves on the shore. And it was on that shore that a very annoyed girl of fifteen was yelling at her brother.

'Tepoea! If you don't come out _now_, I will drag you up myself!' she called, knowing full well her brother could hear her underwater. From the shallows of the king tide, the boy in question smirked and instead pushed his hands forward, sending a strong pulse through the water. Tall waves splashed up over the girl's head and over her clean- now wet work-dress. Her brown eyes turned silver. If Tepoea wouldn't listen to her, she'd retaliate the best way she knew; with her own powers.

'You asked for it.' she muttered. Running into the water, her body suddenly lost its dark complexion and became the exact shade of the crystal blue water, her green cotton dress blending in with her transparent skin. By the time she'd dived under, she was invisible. But Tepoea knew better. He forced waves against her, stronger and rougher than before, laughing in triumph. But then he felt something brush against his leg. Surfacing, he looked under him, and around, but nothing, just water. He felt something move again. He turned again, sinking deeper in the waves. And before he had the chance to take his next breath, something clamped around his body, covering his makeshift gills. With a muffled shout, he struggled as he felt himself moving up with whatever was holding him.

He surfaced, gasping for air, gills disappearing from his neck. The sound of bright laughter diverted his attention as he caught sight of his semi-transparent sister treading water nearby. All Tepoea could do was glare daggers at her.

'Not- _funny_, T'ali'au!' he shouted at her.

'Serves you right! You're lucky no one saw you mucking around.' she growled firmly. They both knew the dangers of exposing their powers to others; it was not something to show off in public, especially to those outside of their village. Tepoea huffed as T'ali'au's body began to colour again, bringing out their physical similarities more clearly; fuzzy dark hair tipped with honey brown from the sun, skin as dark as the wood of the jungle trees, their faces broad and full of life.

'I was just having fun!' Tepoea retorted. He gestured to the open space around them. 'No one's around anyway, they're all getting ready for the ceremonies.'

'Which we're going to be late for.' T'ali'au informed him, swimming back to the shore with ease. 'Come on, the cousins are looking for you.' she called. Tepoea scowled and grudgingly followed his sister back to the sand. He was greeted with a handful of sand thrown at his bare chest upon arrival. He spun around to see T'ali'au leaning against a tree, smirking like the evil spirits themselves.

'What was that for?' Tepoea growled, picking up his own handful of sand with no hesitation.

'Taking so long.' T'ali'au answered. She ducked behind the tree as Tepoea launched his soft weapon. 'Mama will shriek until dawn if we're not there. Now _come on_.' she insisted. Grabbing his towel, Tepoea trudged along the sandy path with his sister, aching for just five more minutes to play with his powers. As much as T'ali'au frustrated him, she was the only one of his five siblings who could also do something special, things no one else could do. T'ali'au understood the consequences of being caught displaying their powers more than him; it was frowned upon by the elders, and described as evil magic. All he wanted to do after working on the plantation was get away and use his powers, feel in control for once. Instead, here he was, getting ready for another seasonal festival with the villagers.

.

Watching her brother brooding again, T'ali'au examined her brother, she couldn't read his thoughts, but she knew him well enough to know what he was thinking. She only wished he at least tried to join in with the rest of the tribe in cultural practices, instead of disappearing every other second to test his abilities around the island again. At fourteen, he was easily becoming one of the most handsome boys in the village; already many of the girls got giggly around him, but T'ali'au knew that her brother secretly had eyes singled out on someone else. She decided to play the card on him.

'Hey Po, tonight's not going to be so bad. There'll be lots of food, and there's the big-fire at sunset.'

Tepoea grunted in response, and T'ali'au's wicked smile grew. 'And I know Teio's been putting a lot of effort into getting ready for tonight. She's looking quite pretty, I'm sure there'll be a few boys ready to dance with her.'

Tepoea suddenly perked up. 'Who? You mean like Noah? He's a jerk, and Teio doesn't even like him. Maybe I should ask her first.' he muttered, flushing in embarrassment when he noticed the teasing look on his sister's face. 'Shut up.' he mumbled. T'ali'au laughed and gave her brother a playful shove off the path.

'Oh, don't worry you; I'm sure she'll say yes.' T'ali'au reassured. ' You've just got to be good and look right tonight. You never seem to have any difficulty when it comes to war-paint.'

Tepoea rolled his eyes, shoving T'ali'au into a tree, which she quickly morphed through jumping on her brother's back in retaliation, she smirked. 'And I'll not be telling you what she's wearing.' Tepoea groaned.

'Come on… please?'

It was T'ali'au's turn to roll her eyes. 'Just because I see futures, does not mean I tell what I see.' she said, pinching his cheek. Tepoea growled and dropped her from his piggy-back hold, pushing and racing his sister all the way back to the village.

* * *

><p>.<p>

As the sun sank into the west, the Island lit up in celebration. T'ali'au had spent the afternoon with the women of her family; dressed in traditional white sari's, hair braided back and adorned with tropical flowers. Tepoea and the young men had been less careful with their routine, messing up each other's tribal paint with much noise and mess. As the sky grew darker, the festivities started. Everybody danced around the giant fire in the village clearing; T'ali'au noticed with great satisfaction Tepoea's eyes never left a particular girl with long black hair and deep blue eyes, who in turn smiled back at him constantly. She knew that Tepoea and Teio were meant to be, and was gloriously happy for their blooming romance. Though, when it came to her own future, she was less certain. Even with her psychic advantage, T'ali'au had no idea who she would marry, or if she'd marry at all. At fifteen, she was now the perfect age for marriage to one of the village boys. Not that she counted herself as an exotic beauty, in fact she reckoned herself quite plain next to her two older sisters. Her skin was smooth and unscathed, her hair unruly and wild, and her eyes shiny and dark (when they hadn't turned silver from a premonition). She was not wonderfully tall, but had a slim, strong figure, which some of the village boys obviously wanted a bit more of as they danced with her.

She ate and laughed alongside her large family, she listened in wonder around the massive fire, where Elder Talanoa had the children gathered around her feet, telling them stories of the ancient spirits. The setting sun did not bring down the people's spirits as the tiny community continued to celebrate. But as the sun grew close to disappearing over the horizon, a strange noise filled the air. At first, it could not be heard over the music and dancing and talk, but it soon got louder, louder, louder still. Everyone stopped. T'ali'au froze; she was getting a very bad feeling from it, her head was pounding. Tepoea was the first and only one to notice the effect it had on her.

He took her hand in concern. 'What is it? What's wrong?' he whispered.

T'ali'au closed her eyes. 'Something's coming.' she murmured. When she opened her eyes again, they were clouded with the silver mist of a vision. 'Danger.' Snapping out of her distant gaze, she looked to her brother fearfully. 'We must hide.' she whispered, leading him away from the crowd and into a nearby hut. The noise from above continued; it was like a powerful multitude of insects buzzing furiously together.

'Planes?' one man suggested.

'It's the government again.' another answered menacingly. There was disgruntled murmuring among the people. The new democracy in their country was still a dangerous idea, given their current system.

'No, you hear that?' T'ali'au's father called, hushing the crowd. 'They are not planes… it is those... helicopter machines.' he said. The villagers looked up to the dark sky. The sounds of the aircrafts were almost forgotten when they saw bright lights, and heard footsteps approaching. Everyone huddled closer together. After minutes of tense waiting, the footsteps became more distinct, more... abundant.

'There! In the trees, look!'

.

The small village all moved in towards each other, watching the trees around them, and before long, they saw a number of dark figures appear from the shadows of the surrounding jungle. The men immediately drew themselves around the women and children when they saw the men were armed soldiers. Leading them was a middle-aged white man dressed in a military-like uniform, but well-groomed. His stony-set face was intimidating in the half-light. The village Elders stepped out to meet him.

'Who are you?' one of the tribesmen demanded of the soldiers. The well-groomed man before them spoke calmly.

'I am Major William Stryker, and these- are my men.' he replied evenly, motioning to them.

'What is your business here? You are interrupting a cultural celebration!' a second Elder informed him, the hostility and uncertainty all too clear in his voice. The man named Stryker nodded.

'Yes, and I apologise, but you see, I come on a rather urgent matter.' he nodded to his soldiers, who moved together in a formation, surrounding the people. Many cowered back at the sight of their weapons. The Elders looked back at the Major, their fury evident.

'Who sent you here, government rebels? Conspirators? We have no involvement with them!' the first Elder growled.

But Stryker impassively shook his head. 'No, we are separate from your government. We are here because we believe you are hiding something from us.' Stryker replied. This took everyone by surprise.

'Hiding? We are not hiding anything!' the second Elder insisted. 'What do you want of us?' Stryker took off his gloves and walked forward.

'We believe, that you have among you two young people who are not…shall we say, not quite normal.' he announced.

'What are you talking about?' the first Elder demanded.

'I mean sir, is that your village harbours two children who possess unnatural abilities others would not have; they are known commonly as mutants. We are required to find these people and see to them, for their safety and for yours. I would like you to show me who they are.' Stryker explained. The villagers were silent, but there was a quiet shuffling as a few people moved closer together.

'We have no such people. I'm sorry we do not have what you are looking for.' the first Elder replied calmly. Stryker gave a twisted smile.

'Ah, of course you say that, you're trying to protect them.' he said. Giving his soldiers a nod, there was a collective click as they prepared and loaded their guns. A few women gasped and screamed, some children began to cry.

The Elders were furious. 'How dare you threaten us like this? We have no such people here I tell you! No one!'

But Stryker was not convinced. 'Find them!' he ordered, and the soldiers started filtering through the people, looking for any signs of abnormality. Then, they started going through the huts. After a few minutes, Stryker seemed to be getting impatient.

.

'I'll make this easier for you.' he said, striding forward and grabbing a frail old man from the crowd. 'You tell me where the mutants are,' he pulled a pistol from his jacket. 'Or this man dies.'

A few more villagers gasped and cried out. 'You have until I count to three.' Stryker called, cocking his pistol towards the old man. 'One…' Nothing.  
>'Two…' There were the faintest whispers from the back of the crowd. And then a shout. Stryker looked around. Four soldiers brought forward two young teenagers from the other side of the clearing. One woman, their mother, cried out with a loud wail and reached for her children, but was quieted by a gun aimed her way. Stryker walked through the parted crowd like he was Moses, and they were a fearful Israel. He clucked his tongue as the children kept their hands joined and looked down at the ground. Stryker took a moment to examine the pair; the girl and boy looked very similar; dark, no distinguishing features, tall posture, nothing out of the ordinary for islander children, but suspicious enough from the people who were clearly protective of them.<p>

'What are your names?' he barked. They remained silent. 'Your names?' he tried again slowly. The teenagers look over at some people standing nearby, who shook their heads hurriedly. 'To remain silent would be unwise.' Stryker advised, as the four soldiers stood by their sides, their guns at the ready. The boy spoke first, holding his sister close.

'Tepoea.'.

'T'ali'au.'

'What are your Christian names?' he asked.

'Percy.'

'Elanora.' They answered in English. A look of thoughtfulness crossed the Major's devilish face.

'Good. Do you know what a mutant is?'

The teenagers looked confused, unaware of the English term for their 'condition'. But they had a sneaking suspicion of the answer.

'We don't understand.' T'ali'au answered, shaking her head. Her brother copied the action.

'I want you to tell me children- do you possess special... unnatural abilities? Anything anyone here cannot do normally?' the teenagers stared at him blankly. 'Don't be shy; we're not going to hurt you.' Stryker told them.

A few more relatives tried to reason with the teenagers in their native tongue, but were cut short by the clicking of rifles. T'ali'au tensed as another vision suddenly overtook her, closing her eyes so the Major wouldn't see the silver glow. Leaning into her brother's side, she knew immediately this would not end well.

'Po.' she breathed in his ear.

'What?' he whispered; still looking straight ahead.

'Hold my back. Don't let go.'

'Why?'

'Just do it.' she hissed.

'I'm waiting.' Stryker drawled expectantly. T'ali'au glared at Stryker threateningly as her brother tightened his grip on her.

She spat on the ground, to horrified gasps. 'You will never take us.' she hissed. And in an instant, she and her brother melted into the earth and disappeared.

* * *

><p>Stryker bellowed in rage, 'Find them now! Alive!' The soldiers scrambled, weapons aimed and set to fire. The Major turned to the first tribal Elder.<p>

'You lied to us.' he growled dangerously.

'No! No, I swear! I never kn…'

'You've kept government property from us.' he continued menacingly, stepping towards him. He turned to one of the soldiers flanking him. 'Kill him.'

There was a bang, the thump of a body, and all hell broke loose. The villagers ran screaming and crying, as more gunshots were heard. 'Destroy this place!' Stryker yelled among the chaos. Huts started to burn, men and women fell one by one as they all fought to protect the two of their home. Meanwhile, deeper in the jungle, T'ali'au hauled her brother out of the earthy floor and quietly made their escape.

* * *

><p>'Where are they?' Tepoea asked worriedly.<p>

'I don't know. Run!' T'ali'au whispered. And run they did.

'We need to go to the shore! Find another island' Tepoea called.

But T'ali'au shook her head as she cleared a fallen branch. 'They'll see us too easily!'

Even through the dense jungle, they heard others shouting, screaming. The smell of smoke and burning straw, burning flesh was sickening. T'ali'au hardly had time to comprehend her next vision when they attacked. Without warning, several black figures appeared out of nowhere, attacking with the most unnatural abilities. They held down the brother and sister roughly and were carried back to the clearing, now a scene of devastation. Stryker turned and smiled triumphantly.

'Excellent! Men, abandon posts! Back to the planes!' he ordered.

T'ali'au screamed as she glimpsed family members and friends lying on the ground, stil and bloodied. Her brother gave a strangled cry as he saw his loved ones sprawled lifeless before him. His eyes lingered on Teio for a moment- sprawled limp next to her sister, before he too was torn away, howling in mourning. The teenagers were bound and gagged, and hauled up by the huge soldiers, and the next thing they knew, they were inside a gigantic copter with more soldiers guarding other children; all bound and unconscious. Huddling together as a man in black approached them, they both felt a sharp pain at the back of their heads, and fell into darkness.

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><p><strong>.<strong>

**A/N: So far, thank you to Zuhara-33 for the reviews and pointing out my mistakes and such: much appreciated. And Sarah for her eternal support.**

**And in case you can't find the New Hebrides on a map, it's because it's now called Vanuatu.**

**Keep a'readin!**

**G.**


	2. Experiment

**Chapter 2: Experiment**

**A/N: Thanks again to Zuhara-33 and Sarah. I shall do my best to fix this chapter up, with Chapter 3 up soonish. Thanks again!**

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><p>Tepoea woke first; he couldn't move. There was an aching pain that ran all through him, one he'd never expreienced before, and whatever he was lying on, it was hard... and very cold. Slowly, with heavy lids, he opened his eyes. Immediately Tepoea knew he was in an unfamiliar place. Adrenaline pumped through his body. Casting his gaze around, the room, he realised, wasn't a room. It was a cage, tightly enclosed, smaller than any hut back home. Home- it all came crashing back down. Everything that had happened appeared before him in flashes- the festival, the buzzing machines, the soldiers, the guns, his people... gone. The teenager shook his head, reasling how much it hurt. From his position on the freezing floor, he noticed the surrounding walls; dark and dull. And the metallic bars in front and next to him, stood stiffly, almost looming. There was no longer open air, just confinement. Suddenly, the sickening, squirming feeling in Tepoea's stomach returned. He was undeniably afraid.<p>

The air felt dense and cold, far from what he was used to. He shivered, and turned his head to see a limp form in the identical cage-room next ot him. A mass of dark, wavy hair was splayed out on the grey floor, the body was curled awkwardly, the skin brown, the dress a dirty white. Tepoea's gasped. Taking a moment to gather his strength, he crawled weakly over to the connecting bars to his sister.

With effort, he hauled himself up against the bars, but half-collapsed on them. Another shivered ran down his spine at the coolness of the metal. T'ali'au's eyes were closed, it appeared she was currently asleep. If Tepoea hadn't seen the shallow rise and fall of her chest, he might've thought she was dead. But, otherwise, she was unmoving. Tepoea struggled to get anyone closer to her. Her usually peaceful face was in a gentle frown of pain, and on closer observation, Tepoea saw bruises on her brown skin as well. A wave of rage surged through Tepoea at the people who had hurt his sister. By now, she could be his only sister, as he thought back to the bodies back home. T'ali'au began to stir near him, and he reached out with a shaking hand, to try and touch her.

'T'ali'au…T'ali? Wake up sissa. Come on.' he repeated, cooing her gently back into consciousness.

.

Finally, she opened her eyes, regaining full vision after a minute or so. Her breathing accelerated as she looked from her brother's sad, brown eyes, to the unfamiliar surroundings. She whimpered in fear, but Tepoea shuffled up closer, reaching for her hand. She held it tightly, sighing as she leant against the bars.

'Where are we?' she whispered, eyeing the cage, and the bars opposite them.

'I don't know. But I will kill the people who put us here.' he muttered angrily.

'Why do they want people like us?' T'ali'au asked. Her brother just shook his head, and hit it against a bar.

'No idea... something.' he said dully. T'ali'au sighed as she tried to think of a way out- she was too weak to even try and morph through the wall or the floor.

.

Suddenly, the doors to their cells opened, and one soldier entered each one. They were tall, dressed in dark, strict military gear, and had stony expressions. They also carried long, dangerous guns. In the hallway, stood the military man himself- Stryker. His lightly lined face was for a moment, unreadable. But, looking down at them, he almost looked triumphant. His short, greying hair, slick uniform, and stiff stance was terrifying to the two confused, frightened teenagers. He was in authority, he was in control. Their fate was in his hands.

'Well, now, you're awake. Good.' he said confidently, taking in their battered appearance, and ripped clothes. 'I'm sure you must have a lot of questions.'

'Where are we?' Tepoea started obviously, autoatically. He didn't need pigeon English to ask that straight out. Stryker's responding smile was harrowingly creepy.

'You're in my research facility... in Canada. A long way from your old home.' he suspected the two youths didn't even know where Canada was.

'Old home?' Tepoea asked confused. Stryker nodded slowly, as if the two didn't understand English at all.

'Yes. You see, this will be your home from now on.'  
>.<p>

'What do you want with us?' T'ali'au asked in a shaking voice. Stryker titled his head to look straight down at her.

'You two possess some very impressive skills, and you will be of great use to me.'

'How? Wh-what do you do?' T'ali'au braved. Stryker's mouth twisted upwards.

'I? I find... people like you, with other powers. And I make them better.'

'Better how?' T'ali'au questioned sceptically.

.

'We do some tests to... make sure you're alright, we see how powerful you are, and then we help you control your powers. You see, you're not like other people, you know that. Here, we seek to make life more... productive for mutants, so you be better than all those weak people in the world. They don't understnad you see, there's so much more out there.' he explained. 'I will give you the choice; either stay here and show us how amazing you can be, or die an outcast. You have no home to go to now, you will die forgotten.' he added deviously.

The siblings looked at each other, frightened, and suspicious. They knew better not to trust strangers, particularly strangers who destroyed your home, killed your people, bound you, and took you to the other side of the world. Something wasn't right about this. The two conversed in hushed voices, using their native tribal tongue as to not be heard. They whispered fiercly at each other, faces angry, questioning, which confused Stryker and the soldiers. After a few minutes T'ali'au and Tepoea stared up at their captor. Tepoea sat up a little straighter, and spoke for them.

'We will not do what you ask. We would rather join our people in honour than stay here.' he spat. Stryker's gaze hardened.

'You speak foolishly boy. What I will do to help you become is so much better than death. Think of how great you'll be. Your people died trying to protect you, imagine how they would praise you if they could see how powerful you could be.' he said with a firey conviction. But the teenagers both shook their heads, fully decisive, hoping to play their cards right. Stryker sighed, and gave a quick look to the soldiers at the door.

'Very well then. You don't understand why you've chosen. But I'm willing to give you a second chance. To become brilliant. Guards, take them to the lab.' he said casually. The soldiers roughly hauled the siblings up, dragging them along a hallway, where their fate awaited them.

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><p>The next few days were torture- literally; as T'ali'au and Tepoea, along with other young mutants were tested to the limits. The screams and cries from the labs, and later the cells, were unbearable as everyone was put through unspeakable procedures. Most of the children returned crying, some were silent, and some, after a while, did not return. After nearly two weeks, T'ali'au and Tepoea lay in their cells, hardly able to move. One of the only things that changed, other than their weakened appearance was a new navy-blue, one-piece suit they were required to wear. It wasn't until the next day, that its purpose was known. The island pair were taken up again for what people were calling the "final experiment". Almost too weak to stand or think straight, the two were roughly hauled down the hall, several pairs of eyes watching them, either with fear, pity, or total indifference. But T'ali'au and Tepoea said nothing, not like others, who screamed to stop, some even begging for death.<p>

.

They arrived at the large lab, with two large tanks ominously waiting for them; a whole team of adults in coats at the ready, to change them forever. The guards shoved Tepoea in one direction, T'ali'au another way. Suddenly, the burly men struggled to keep the siblings under control, as they fought with what energy they had to keep together, only to be pulled apart easily by several more workers. They kept crying out native phrases in between raggedy breaths in their battle to avoid their doom, but to little avail. As they were held down, two scientists came up to them, and held up two metal chains. The whitecoats carefully placed them over the heads, the chains resting on their necks. Attatched to the chains, were flat silver pieces, with words and numbers on them. Dogtags. Usually, they were worn by men who had been in the armed forces, T'ali'au and Tepoea had seen men with those tags back home. Why were _they_ now recieving them too?

Once both were heavily secured, and lowered into the tanks, they were submerged in very warm water, the temperature was almost like back home; any colder and they wouldn't have coped. However, Tepoea controlled the water, disabling the breathing apparatus, to the scientists annoyance. Instead, he shut his eyes, and in seconds, gills formed at the sides of his throat. T'ali'au morphed to become like the water, her whole body blending perfectly, almost invisible to the naked eye. She tried shifting her hand through the glass, but for some reason, was unable to. Her head pounded, her heart was already beginning to thump wildly as she envisioned what was to come.

She couldn't resist now; her restraints had been built to stop her from shifting through. It was more than a shock when her peripheral vision caught sight of needles coming towards many places of her body her. Her heart rate elevated, and her breathing got faster. The needles were drilled into her brown skin, and she let out a muffled scream, as metal and chemicals started coursing through her body. Unable to see what was happening around her, T'ali'au felt something piercing through her head, and connecting with her skull. She convulsed in excrutiating agony, her mind now cloudy as her visions became faint, and she felt something new, a different sort of sensation slithering through her veins and in her bones.

* * *

><p>It only took second for the change to happen; suddenly, T'ali'au felt more alive than ever. Distantly, she heard the beeping noises and voices; everything was so clear, she could practially feel the vibrations of everything around her. It was amazing, but still painful. Her mind clicked into high alert mode, and once again became aware of her surroundings, now realising what she had to do. Closing her eyes, she pressed her back against the steel of the tank, and slid into the metal, easily through it, and down. Beeping alarms sounded from the control panels. It all seemed too easy now, T'ali'au hardly had to concentrate on her power. Sliding into the floor, she moved though the conrete to her brother's parallel box. She didn't know what had happened to him, but she felt his power too pulse through the ground. Melding in perfect camoflauge, T'ali'au unlocked the restraints, removed the wires and bars, where immediatley, Tepoea sensed her presence. She glided up into his tank, and took his hand.<p>

Her head appeared next to him, both now above water.

'Run.' she rasped.

Tepoea clutched T'ali'au's hand, and rose quickly, almost lifting them both up. He too, felt stronger than ever. They dodged the sedation attempts from the scientists, with lightning reflexes, and ran like they never had before. They were quick, agile, and they were almost out of the lab. The blaring of alarms didn't phase them, as they morphed through the building by T'ali'au's will, hands still clasped firmly together. The clear sounds of shouts and gunfire were all around them, the increasing volume made their heads buzz. Just as the pair were about to phase through the final security wall, they were hit. T'ali'au felt a pain in her upper back, as her brother stumbled beside her, but ignored the stabbing under her skin and the pained protests inside her brother's head. She urged him to keep going, and with a final push of effort, they phased through the wall, under the ground, and outside the building, on a deep cliff crevice.

A massive waterfall tumbled down a few metres away, blocking the view of the the outside world. The siblings breathing was laboured, as they collapsed to the gravelly ground, still in agony. But it was not until the T'ali'au got a better look at Tepoea, that she realised how badly he'd been damaged. He had gunshot wounds to his arms, and torso. There were tiny dots on his face from the markings and the needles; his skin somehow seemed different; paler, almost inhuman. As another vision invaded her mind, T'ali'au realised in horror what was soon to happen.

.

'No! Tepoea! Tepoea, look at me!' she cried, taking his face in her shaking hands.

Wearily, the boy looked into his sister's eyes. His smile was small, vague, painfully weak. 'Leave me.' he breathed out. 'We did it, we're out. Now go.' he croaked.

'No, no! I'm not leaving you! We're getting out together!' T'ali'au choked, as silent tears ran down her face. She grabbed one of his hands, and cradled his head with the other one.

Tepoea whispered softly. 'They've made us powerful T'ali; we passed their test. I just... didn't get far enough.' his words slowed as he spoke.

'P-please... please d-don't! Don't do this!' T'ali'au wept, holding her brother close. Tepoea used what little energy he had to shake his head.

'Not enough strength to heal, you have better chance. Go.' he urged, as he felt his body grow heavier, weaker. T'ali'au stubbornly shook her head in refusal.

'N-no. I won't leave you here!' she begged. 'Don't m-make me do th-this. I need you.'

Tepoea's eyes looked even more pained, as he breathed with greater effort 'You will be fine... I will... join the our family and the spirits... and we... we will watch over you. You are s-s-strong T'ali.' He took in a big breath, wincing at the pain in his ribs. 'Go, save yourself.' he said gently, reaching up to wipe the tears from his sister's face, but they fell too fast.

.

'How?' she choked in distress, her brown eyes soft and glassy with indescribable pain. 'I can't g-go...'

'T'ali, listen to me; Run, go far away. Anywhere.' Tepoea paused for needed breath. 'And if you see Stryker... you kill him. You hear? You kill him. We won't be weak for him.'

Wordlessly, she nodded in promise. She continued to hold her young brother in her arms in the small cave. Tepoea coughed and groaned in pain. T'ali'au hushed him, fearing the time he had left, for she did not know. Stroking his face for comfort, she held on for as long as she could bear. Then, Tepoea unexpectedly shifted.

'Go sis. Go...'

'No!'

'They are coming. Leave me. Do it...'

'Po, I won-'

'I will be fine. Just...'

'Shhh.' T'ali'au hushed, kissing his face gently, hugging her brother close for a moment more. 'I love you.' she breathed into his hair. Tepoea's muscles relaxed, and he gave the biggest smile he could manage since being taken from home.

'Hush. Love you too. Now, please...' he said, pulling himself foward with his stronger arm, moving T'ali'au closer to the edge of the cave. She hissed as she moved, more pain racked her whole body. Tepoea held her hand up again.

'I will watch you. Go.' he urged through gritted teeth. With his final burst of energy, Tepoea moved himself further over to the cave's ledge. And in one swift motion, shoved his sister over the edge of the cave.

.

T'ali'au could only gasp in shock, as she fell. She didn't have enough energy to scream, and so, silently fell, focusing on her landing point through her tears. Down she went with the water, to the devouring depths below. She fell into the water with a small splash, forced down deeper by the force of the crashing water. Morphing like the water, she moved with it, and found her way back up, gasping for air. As she swam towards a nearby rock, another vision took control of her and made her spasm in shock. They were coming. Coming for her. She struggled to climb up the slippery rock, but pushed herself up, and collapsed on her back. Biting back a cry of pain, another spasm rocked her body she saw the base again. More were searching for her. She had to hurry if she wanted to get away alive.

Suddenly, the pain and the unusual feeling that had overcome her, hit new heights. The full experiment still needed to be completed- she was yet to be complete. Violent convulsions shooker her, agonizingly jerking her battered body. She screamed involuntarily in pain, but no one could hear her over the falls. Her head felt like it would explode, as her instantly cells re-engerised, reforming into more complexly powerful weapons. And as she suffered through her internal pain, slowly- ever so slowly, her physical appearance began to change, ever so slightly, as the transformation came to its finish. With a final violent twitch, the girl collapsed into stillness.

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><p>Her eyes snapped open; no longer the plain, warming brown, but also flecked with a whirl of new colours. Brighter, wilder, dangerous. Her wild, dark hair was now thinly streaked with a multitude of different shades. Lights and darks, a symbol of her ability to blend and gel... now, freakishly perfect. Her skin remained the glowing light coffee shade it had once been, but now held a new strength beneath it. And her body, her strong human body was even stronger, more agile, speedier, more adaptive than before. She could do anything. And her mind seemed changed too; the flickering images she saw in her minds eye felt like second nature now; she clearly saw exactly where security forces were heading, how the base was shut into lockdown, all sirens wailing. Shw saw the waters ahead, the exact time it would take to reach the closest land. The teenager could see everything now- everything. The future was hers...but the past was not.<p>

Looking around her as she sat up, she tried to remember for what purpose she was here. And she did not know. With no idea who she was, no idea if she even had a name, no memory of what she was before, she looked down. Strangley enough, it was a dim glimmer that caught her attention. Around her neck was a silver chain. Holding it up with a trembling hand, the girl examined the two metal pieces that were attatched. One one of the pieces were only two words: **KAYLIS, ELANORA. **And a code of 10 numbers, which did not mean anything. On the other side was an indented square, but with nothing in the middle of it. It must have been left that way for a reason. The second piece, however, was completely blank- front and back. Strange. But looking over the first piece again, she stared at the words. Logically, this had to be her name. It was the only other explanation. Elanora Kaylis was _her_. That was the first thing she knew- her name.

The second thing was her power, she was aware of the remarkable amount of power she possessed. There was a feeling inside her that made her powerfully alive, so invigerated, and energised. As if she could do anything. But unlimited ability was not the actual though that crossed her mind. For a third thought halted her. A strange sensation built up in her that she had never experienced; a burning anger, a need some desperate desire. And right now, everything she knew, that she felt was tellnig her to run. Run away.

For what purpose, she wasn't sure, but escaping from wherever she was, was essential. She had to get away from this place, figuring she'd know where to go when her mind told her so. With such power, her capabilities stretched to anything. But for now, that anything was seclusion, to stay out of the world's way for what she was... whatever she was. And so, she jumped from her rock by the falls, and dived into the water, instantly morphing to become just like it, to let it carry her wherever she could go- away from all others. Before her memory, she was seen by her people as T'ali'au of Epi Island. No longer was that her. From this point forward, she would be seen in new eyes- as Elanora Kaylis; runaway mutant.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, that had to be one of the biggest edits in history, no joke. Hope this satisfies you all. Now I have to change what I've written of Chapter 3. For those of you who read the old one, you'd realise that I didn't mention a certain death. I will neither confirm nor deny the state of Tepoea's mortality. But all will be revealed in time. Please give me your opinions, they are always valued.**

**G-4077 :D**


	3. Hiding

**Chapter 3: Hiding**

**A/N: Thanks to Zuhara-33 and Sarah as usual. To answer the former's question publicly: Yes, this story will continue, and hopefully shall evolve into a series if people permit so. So, I'll stop babbling now, and actually get this boat rolling...**

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><p>The air was warm today; Elanora could feel it, even from 20 metres underground. A tad unusual, for so late in the spring- not that she counted herself an expert on the weather. Seattle wasn't too bad; Elanora revelled in the hot, dry summers, but loathed the winters- for some unknown reason, cold wasn't something her body seemed to agree with. But it was better than nothing at all; Elanora came to the conclusion that she preferred Seattle to other locations she'd ended up in. Though, nowadays, it wasn't often Elanora went up to the surface of her own accord; her distrust of the world was still rather strong, and consequently, she led a fairly quiet life.<p>

Since her escape from the cold lake, she'd decided that hiding from the rest of the world was the only option she had. Elanora was aware of her unusual abilities, but it was only in recent years, she was told that her "powers" meant she was a 'mutant'. Elanora assumed she was always this way, she couldn't remember otherwise. Finding out that she wasn't alone was initially a rather an interesting shock, but she'd learned to find comfort in that knowledge. The group who had informed Elanora of her condition in the first place, also turned out to be mutants. Nice mutants at that. If ever Elanora could be truly thankful, it was to the two people who'd found her in Seattle; a young couple called Peter and Kim Hambridge.

* * *

><p>.<p>

The chances that people of her own kind would take her in were small enough, but remarkably, Peter and Kim had been in the right place at the right time. The pair had been scouring the Seattle docks, when they came across a body lying in some rock and sandy debris near the end of a port. Upon further examination, they found the girl unconscious; clothed in only a navy blue wetsuit, with a set of dog-tags carrying an ID code, and a name: ELANORA KAYLIS. After confirming she was alive, Elanora suddenly sensed their presence, and abruptly woke, confused, scared, and angry.

After a most unusual confrontation involving all their powers, the couple managed to explain the basics of the situation. They were most surprised by Elanora's inability to remember anything other than her name, powers, and journey there. Assuring her she had their trust, they took her back to their home. Their "home" and hideoutturned out to be a run-down, cave-like base underneath the Seattle docks, they named "The Hub". What made it so unique, was that the place was where other mutants, and mutants only came and went. It was there Peter and Kim provided Elanora with shelter, food, clothes, and a massive re-education of the world.

Peter ran The Hub, inbetween going around the city picking up information from other mutants on life on the outside. He was tall, well-built, with fair skin and sandy hair. Despite his initially intimidating appearance, he had the biggest heart, and it was clear to anyone who saw him and Kim together that they were meant for each other; they worked together in perfect sync, despite their different powers. Peter had superhuman strength and vision, and was an excellent fighter, often helping train other mutatns in defence and attack. Kim was an empath, who sensed people's emotions and controlled them if they became too strong; her bright green eyes were always comforting to see in those times. Another handy physical ability she possessed was wall-crawling on practically any surface. Her fighting courage was inspiring to Elanora, as the petite, auburn-haired woman graciously took in any mutant in need of help, giving everyone enough attention, while always making time for her husband. At least, if things got out of hand, she'd have everything under control.

.

While The Hub was a regular coming and going refuge for other mutants, there were only two other permanent residents- Kathleen and Steve. Both had been neighbours growing up when they discovered each other's powers, and ended up fleeing from their families to find refuge with Peter and Kim. Kathleen was a shy, but intelligent young Eurasian college graduate. She manipulated all forms of light particles. She also had super-speedy movement and reflexes. Steve, on the other hand, was nineteen when Elanora first came to the Hub, and feared his own power as much as normal people did. He had the ability to disarm and assault people with a uniquely poisonous toxin he produced from his hands, which would burst unexpectedly when his emotions were heightened. Now, recently celebrating his twenty-second birthday, he was still reclusive, but a determined fighter. To Elanora, he had come across as unfriendly, when in truth, he was just afraid of hurting others, as he had apparently done to a group of bullies in high school who had taunted him about his native anscetory.

* * *

><p>.<br>Elanora had learned in time to trust Kathleen and Steve. With no memory of previous human contact, she was at first, very unsure how to communicate, so Peter and Kim took it upon themselves to be her social tutors. Katheeen and Steve too, had been most useful in helping Elanora with her struggling English, and wordly knowledge. For their guidance, Elanora was grateful, and in turn, was able to teach the others skills even she did not know she had, as well as working to hone their individual powers. Although the five of them were regulars in the Hub, every week, there'd be new mutants through to stay for various periods of time- from a few nights to a few weeks. The addition of Elanora's precognitive instincts eased the surprise of detecting unexpected visitors. In all, their seclusive lives were quiet and relatively uneventful; the way they wanted it.

While the regulars took turns holding casual and part-time jobs to help keep up finances for supplies, Elanora remained down in the base, only coming up to the surface every few weeks for supply shopping. Initially, she had to start stealing essentials (her deceptive powers made it significantly easier) and was taught by the girls how normal society lived. Sometimes they just sat in parks, or on the docks, and let Elanora watch people, letting her observe the people's ways, dropping hints and tips on anything the memory-deprived girl didn't understand. Elanora learned fast, and became more aware and able to detect suspicious behaviour.

After two years in the Hub, it seemed seventeen-year old Elanora Kaylis had re-adapted into a normal life. That is, normal enough for a runaway mutant. Still, she had no memory, and no idea of her origins, but with little information, it seemed impossible that she'd ever find out about her previous life. It had been clear from the beginning that she wasn't American, so looking to international resources was a long shot. Eventually, Elanora had learned to let it go, and keep her mind in the now and the future, what she knew best.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thoughts? Like it? Don't like it? Please let me know! I've split up the next part into Ch4 (cookies to Zuhara-33 for the tips) I need to work on fast-paced flowing stories. So in hte meantime, Elanora's trips uptop and the chase will commence next chap. Enjoy! :D**


	4. Running

**Ch4: Running**

**A/N: Hello again. Just reposted Ch3, on account of the original having to be split up. I agree though, it works. Sorry Sarah for confusing you all of a sudden, but trust me, it'll work. Keep those reviews coming! Con-crit is really helping atm.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Readjusting her position on the underground sewer ledge, Elanora waited for a signal from Kim, who was above the surface. She already knew when her friend would be coming; therefore, patience became a struggle.<p>

Finally, after exactly forty-three minutes of waiting at the border of the Hub's safety route, Elanora's mind clouded over as a single vision filled her mind. Kim was on her way back from the surface. She'd no doubt, alert Elanora of her presence as she approached, but it was unnecessary. The rhythmic dripping of water from above sounded quietly, as the new sound of quiet scurrying filled the dank brick tunnel. Elanora scanned the area, as a shadow glided around the corner, moving closer and faster through the tunnel. Elanora slipped a smile as Kim approached from the slippery walls.

.

'You were gone for long while.' Elanora said conversationally, her imperfect English good enough to get the message across. Kim smoothly jumped up to the ledge to join the younger woman.

'You were waiting all this time?' she asked curiously. Elanora shrugged.

'No, I saw you coming ten minutes ago. I thought I should come early in case.'

'Smart girl.' Kim said. She brushed a wavy auburn lock off her face, and looked around again. 'Well, coast is clear; your turn.' she gestured out to the dark tunnel. Elanora nodded.

'Thank you. I will be back soon. Sooner than you.' she teased, as her petite friend hopped down to the ground with surprising ease.

'Hey, just go and do whatever. Oh, would you mind getting some more snacks for Steve? He asked me, and I forgot.' Kim added, stopping in her tracks to turn around.

'The usual?' Elanora presumed, standing up. 'Alright.' she said, moving like a tight-rope walker along the long-beam ledge. Kim's smile brightened, her ivory face lighting up kindly in only a way she could achieve.

'Thanks sweetie. Be good now.'

'I will.' called Elanora, leaping from the ledge, and breaking into a light run along the winding tunnel paths. When she sensed no one around, instead of taking the usual route and climbing up the grimy ladder, she walked straight into the nearest brick wall, and travelled through the brickworks all the way up to the surface.

* * *

><p>.<p>

Elanora morphed up through the concrete part of the eastern dock, in the middle of a large pile of crates and Hessian sacks. Her skin changed back from the brick-grey to its normal light brown. Her clothes, a simple tie-dye t-shirt, tan leggings ending at her knees, and dark blue gym shoes, slowly regained their fabric colours once Elanora had fully surfaced. Her dark, tied-up hair, too changed colour, but not the thin mutli-colour streaks- they remained as they were. Crouching and waiting for the opportune moment when no one was looking her way, Elanora stepped out of the crate pile and made her way inconspicuously through the shipyard port.

Once she had reached the outskirts of the main metro area, Elanora walked around some of the shops, pretending to be one of the many people enjoying the last of the sunny weekend. After visiting a few places and buying what essentials she needed, she went to the park, proud of the fact that she hadn't had to steal anything...so far. The temptation was hard sometimes, but she kept to a small spending budge, and decided the meagre possessions she had accumulated over the years were enough. Her more important items, she kept in her brown leather shoulder bag.

Eventually, she found a park bench in the shade under a large tree, and sat down with her shoulder bag on her lap. Crossing her legs, she began to skim a newspaper she had bought for the others. After reading the first few pages, she cast her eyes upwards; watching everyone's actions, words, and behaviours. Children laughing and playing together, centred only on the fun they were having. There were parents conversing; looking after toddlers, reading books, and enjoying picnics. Business people read their papers and took full advantage of their lunch breaks. Elderly people chatting and knitting and tediously playing chess, younger adults and others riding their bikes, or jogging up and down the path- there was so much to see. However, in all the activity in the crowded park, Elanora's gaze found its way to one individual for a longer time.

* * *

><p>.<p>

He may have seemed just like one of the crowd to anyone else. But Elanora wasn't anyone else; her heightened senses detected something more. The man's age was unidentifiable from the distance; particularly while he was wearing dark glasses- Elanora couldn't see his eyes probably. The man was tall, at least 6-foot; his body in good shape; not lean, not bulky. He was dressed in a casual white business shirt, trousers with suspenders, and no jacket. His hair was short, jet black, and sleek. He was leaning against a statue on the other side of the park, not moving at all. On closer inspection, Elanora may have noticed his eyes also roaming around the populated area, always narrowed, as if looking for something.

But then it occurred to Elanora- he was looking at _her_. Only her precognitive instincts could tell her that. Her vision had lasted mere seconds, but it was crystal clear. She had gotten a much closer look at him; he was of Asian descent, his skin a very light tan, his eyes almost as black as his hair; and his expression... dangerous. And he had been looking, no- staring at her. Why? The second before Elanora's vision had ended, she saw the man take two steps forward- in her direction. Instantly, Elanora was fully alert. 

Suddenly remembering she hadn't bought anything for Steve yet, Elanora casually folded her newspaper into her bag, and got up. She started walking along the path like other people, and set off towards the shops. She resisted the risky temptation to look behind her, so shut her eyes briefly, to call for another vision. Opening her eyes again, she continued walking as her other senses dulled a little, and she distinctly saw the Asian man a good distance behind her among the crowd. Maintaining her walking pace, she turned a corner, and found the street of shops she was looking for. Making it to the further end of the avenue, Elanora found the large, but aptly-named convenience store and walked through the large doors, catching a glimpse in the mirror of the Asian man halfway down the street.

.

After weaving through various aisles to collect the items she needed to buy, she made it to one of the farthest aisles when she spotted him again- her stalker; at the opposite end of the aisle. The warning alarms in Elanora's head rang furiously. She had to get out. So, she walked briskly across the ends of the aisles, the tall Asian man still following her, until she got closer to the other side of the building. Then Elanora realised; she was trapped. She couldn't just pay for her items at the front of the store and walk out again, she'd bring more unwanted attention to herself. Rapidly, she formed a plan.

Mentally checking all the security cameras her not on her at the right time, she waited another four point two seconds before pocketing her items in her bag, and walked to the back wall at the far end of the building; where the storage doors were open. With no one else looking, she slid silently inside. Unfortunately, her stalker had seen the escape attempt, and hurriedly paced up the aisle, pulling out a gun from his pocket. He burst through the storage screens, in search of his victim. 

* * *

><p>.<p>

The room was silent, with only the wind rustling through the plastic screens. Very few sounds could be heard throughout the expansive storeroom. The man moved through the dull, grey floor and the piles of boxes and bags; his gun held close. With no one else around, the man's senses were high; he scanned with his eyes, and strained his ears for any hint of a noise. Keeping his breathing quiet, it wasn't until he'd crossed half the room he heard it; it was faint, but it was enough. A whisper of a sound, a shuffle… and a rush of wind. The girl was here. She was close... so close. With silent stealth only an assassin was capable of, the man treaded across the concrete floor and pulled out another gun; his gut feeling warning him to be on full alert. But his orders were not to kill, merely to stun. Of course, he didn't remember anything being said about causing injury. Why shouldn't he have his fun?

Estimating the space where he suspected the girl was hiding, the man turned the corner with lightning speed, his guns aimed perfectly. He pulled the triggers and fired; quick as a blink. But he stopped as soon as he'd started; realising only brown sacks of fruit were propped against the wall. Swearing under his breath, he pocketed one used gun, and turned on the spot as he detected another noise. His last attempt had been too close; he needed to be certain. Quickly, he hid himself behind a wooden box for cover. For some reason, he expected to see a store worker passing by, but instead, he caught a glimpse of two wide brown eyes staring back at him from a distance. Their gazes locked for only a second, before the man came to his senses, and leapt up in a flash.  
>.<p>

Elanora tore away from the far door of the storeroom and ran as fast as she could. She now knew what the man was after; her vision had been all too clear. It wasn't because she was a seemingly innocent teenage girl, walking through the city alone. It was her powers; her unnoticeable powers that the man was stalking her for. But why? Why would he hunt her for her powers? Elanora didn't even know if the man was acting alone; there could be others hidden anywhere in the city. She had to admit, she was terrified. Never, since she'd been found in Seattle had she been so scared to be alone. And there was good reason to be; she was different, far beyond that of any other person in Seattle. It had been the best of coincidences that her saviours were subject to the same dilemma of living. The Hub was the only place she could be safe from the rest of the world. And so, for the second time in Elanora's short living memory; she knew she had to get away. So she kept running; far away from her pursuer. Far away from every single person who ever wanted to seek her for what she was...

* * *

><p>.<p>

The tall, Asian man stood alone on the balcony of a tall apartment block. He could look over the bright lights of Seattle with full clarity. Dusk was falling, and the illuminating flashes and glows took over the darkening sky. But the scenery didn't ease the thoughts of his mind one bit. The girl had gotten away. He had failed to capture her. The events of the day he thought over very carefully, while polishing his guns in hope of distraction. Something about how the girl had escaped infuriated him. After his encounter at the shopping store, he kept her in his sight; doing everything he could not to just gun her down ion broad daylight. People were everywhere, and after reaching the other side of downtown, he saw no more of the girl.

She must have been powerful; otherwise there would've been no point in coming for her. The black walkie-talkie resting on the table suddenly beeped and crackled; an incoming signal trying to get through. Reluctantly, the Asian man put down his guns, and reached over for the communication device, as a message crackled through the speaker. It wasn't clear, the words were fuzzy, but the man knew exactly what they were saying; he'd heard it so many times before. He clicked a button and answered.

'I read you sir. Over.'

_"Have you found her yet?"_ A steely voice asked in anticipation. Straight to the point; great...

'Yes sir. She's in the city. Her exact location is unclear, but she's close to the coast.'

_"So, you haven't captured her?"_ the voice asked, the disappointment edging through.

The Asian man sighed slowly in annoyance, before answering dryly. 'No sir. I pursued her through nearly half the city, but she...'

There was an uncomfortable pause.

.

_"She what?"_

'She got away.'

The was a sound of disbelief on the other end, and then a short, barking laugh.

_"She got away? From you?_ You_ of all people?"_

The man hesitated, trying to form a decent excuse. 'She's... smart, sir. She seems to know I'm after her, and...'

_"Of course she'll know you're after her!" _The other man shouted angrily._ "You showed yourself and chased her over half the city! You can't afford to make a mistake like that again! You realise what you could have done?"_

'Yes sir. I'll get her.'

_"Damn right you will. Or I'll send someone else for the job! I need that girl!"_

"If I could ask sir; why do we need this kid anyway? What's so important about her?' the Asian man asked broadly. From the other end of the line, his boss huffed.

_"Oh, she's important; she is _vital_. You have no idea how significant her capture will be. She possesses something I need her for. I've been looking for this girl a long time, and we can't let her get away much longer. Is that explanatory enough for you?" _the man exclaimed harshly, his voice rising with frustration.

The Asian man paused in thought. 'Yes sir.'

_"Good. I'll expect another report from you tomorrow. Keep watching."_

"I will sir.'

"I know you'll do the job. Find her, and bring her back to me. You've never let me down before. Until tomorrow Agent Zero. Over and Out."

Zero dropped his walkie-talkie on the table carelessly. Something about this girl really had Major Stryker wound up. Maybe once he got her, things would fall into place. All he needed to do now was to catch the little minx. A devious idea suddenly formed in Zero's mind.

* * *

><p>Even in the dangerous, unpredictable environment of the underground, Elanora couldn't remember ever running this fast, the adrenaline continued to pump throug her system. After her frightening encounter across town, her fear had not subsided, and the moment she reached her passage from the docks to the sewer tunnels, she took off like a flash again. While she'd never had super speed like Kathleen, Elanora was pretty sure she could have given her friend a run for her moeny, so to speak.<p>

She rounded a corner, and dashed past the safe zone boundary, where she was finally safe. But the nervous feeling in Elanora's stomach continued, as she thought about the others back at the Hub. She'd had no visions of them, she didn't know if they were alright. If anything had happened while she'd been gone, no knowledge of it had come to her. It was strange to be feeling such fear, when she'd never had reason to before. When Elanora been in the Hub, or uptop, one of the others had always been with her, to help and to guide. But she'd had none of that today. She had been alone; alone and vulnerable. And at that exact time, there just happened to be a suspicious man with guns lurking around, who consequently chased her across half of Seattle city. This was why she hated the world. Trust and safety was hard to come by, and you never knew what was around each corner- even when you were psychic.

.

As the familiar greeting lights of the Hub came into view, Elanora continued to run, when she saw a familiar dark figure at the dim brick-arch entrance. As she approached, the figure stood up, holding a torch.

'Elanora? Ella? Is that you?' Steve called, pointing his flashlight up the tunnel.

Quickly, the girl slowed her running pace, and with shaking, burning legs, she put a hand on the grimy wall for support.

'You've been gone for ages, we were getting worried ab- hey, are you okay? Elanora?'

Elanora did not respond, only sliding down next to the wall in exhaustion. The young native American, quickly rushed to her side, taking in the girl's weaker state, and laboured breathing. He put his large copper hands on Elanora's shoulders firmly, and stared at her hard with big, brown eyes.

'El! Ella, come on- talk to me girl! What happened to you?' he asked desperately, as his friend did nothing but lean her head against the cool wall with closed eyes, and slow her breathing.

'Steve... someone's... someone's hunting me.'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, there we go. And yes, I added a little bit at the end. Hope you don't mind Zuhara, I wanted to touch on a little of that to continue Ch5 easier. Sarah; hope that satisfied your curiosity of Steve a little more. I promise he will feature later on and stuff. Anyone else, please let me know what you think. More to come in a week or so...**

**G. :D**


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